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Monday, 14 June 2010

A dozen pro-Palestinian activists and an Israeli film cameraman recording material for a news documentary faced aggressive store security staff during a peaceful protest about Israeli goods in a Tesco in Leytonstone, northeast Londonon Sunday June 13.

“We were holding up examples of produce from illegal Israeli settlements and stolen Palestinian land, chanting to urge shoppers to join the boycott campaign. Then out of nowhere two burly security guards pounced on the Israeli Channel 10 cameraman, seized his equipment and then attempted to confiscate all cameras being used by us and members of the public.”

Protesters calmly stood their ground, stressed the peaceful nature of their protest and insisted on being allowed to present a letter to the store management asking them not to stock Israeli goods. Other members of staff intervened and accompanied activists, now singing a boycott song led by professional soprano Deborah Fink, to the customer services desk.

Walthamstow resident Josephine Tyrconnell-Fay said: “I didn’t think much of the duty manager’s customer service. I had to ask her repeatedly to accept our letter, in contrast to other supermarkets around the country where managements have been much more willing to understand what campaigners are doing and why.”

After Israel's latest display of criminality, killing nine international humanitarian aid workers and peace activists on a boat taking aid to the beseiged Gaza Strip, WFPSC got together with Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods (J-BIG) to hold Sunday’s action.

Campaigners say the sale of goods produced in Israel or its illegal settlements legitimises Israel's criminal occupation of Palestinian lands.

By stocking these goods supermarkets are complicit in supporting the economy of a violent apartheid state that disrespects international law and undertakes ethnic cleansing.

“As consumers and activists we are proud to be part of the non-violent global campaign to hold Israel to account for its continual war crimes against Palestinians,” said Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi, secretary of J-BIG.

For footage of the protest, please click here and view on YouTube "WFPSC"

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About WFPSC

WFPSC was founded at a General Meeting held in Harmony Hall, Walthamstow, on Wednesday 18 February 2009, with Neil Gerrard (then MP for Walthamstow) as its first patron.
Encompassing the whole London borough of Waltham Forest, including Chingford, Walthamstow, Leyton and Leytonstone, the group has a strong membership of PSC subscribers who live locally.
We aim to tackle local community issues in Waltham Forest related to Palestinian rights, make an impact through local municipal processes and PSC's national work on the UK's political agenda in relation to Palestine, and forster links between Waltham Forest communities and Palestinian communities in and around Palestine.

As a branch of PSC, Waltham Forest PSC is established to campaign as follows:

* for the right of self-determination for the Palestinian people;

* for the right of return of the Palestinian people;

* for the immediate withdrawalof the Israeli state from the occupied territories;

* against the oppression and dispossession suffered by the Palestinian people;

* in support of the rights of the Palestinian people and their struggle to achieve these rights;

* to promote Palestinian civil society in the interests of democratic rights and social justice;

* to oppose Israel's occupation and its aggression against neighbouring states;

* in opposition to racism, including anti-jewish prejudice and the apartheid nature of the Israeli state.

WFPSC ladies with F-Team on VPC3, Dec 2009

Join up!

Everyone in Waltham Forest is welcome to get involved in our activities and campaigns at any level - you don't have to be a paid-up member to be an activist. Joining in is what counts.

However, for more formal work, we ask that you join national PSC and by default you have full Waltham Forest branch membership rights. You will need membership to vote, become elected or co-opted to the officers group, steer meetings or develop policy. So join PSC today!

Waltham Forest Trades Council supporting local residents as they lobby MPs about Gaza, alongside Palestinians Osama Qashoo and Sameh Habeeb on Weds 11th March 2009